1981 in film
The following is an overview of events in 1981 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths. Highest-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1981 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows: Events * January 19 – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it. *November 29 – Off Santa Catalina Island, 43-year-old actress Natalie Wood drowns during a boating accident. * Kathleen Turner makes her acting debut. * Tom Cruise makes his acting debut. * June 12 – Raiders of the Lost Ark is released. It set a major standard for many action-adventure films to date. Awards Academy Awards: :Best Picture: Chariots of Fire – Enigma, The Ladd Company/Warner Bros. :Best Director: Warren Beatty – Reds :Best Actor: Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond :Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn – On Golden Pond :Best Supporting Actor: John Gielgud – Arthur :Best Supporting Actress: Maureen Stapleton – Reds :Best Foreign Language Film: Mephisto, directed by Istvan Szabo, Hungary Golden Globe Awards: :Drama: :Best Picture: On Golden Pond :Best Actor: Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond :Best Actress: Meryl Streep – The French Lieutenant's Woman :Musical or comedy: :Best Picture: Arthur :Best Actor: Dudley Moore – Arthur :Best Actress: Bernadette Peters – Pennies from Heaven :Other :Best Director: Warren Beatty – Reds :Best Foreign Film: Chariots of Fire, United Kingdom Golden Raspberry Awards: :Worst Picture: Mommie Dearest :Worst Director: Michael Cimino – Heaven's Gate :Worst Actor: Klinton Spilsbury – The Legend of the Lone Ranger :Worst Actress: Bo Derek – Tarzan, the Ape Man; Faye Dunaway – Mommie Dearest :Worst Supporting Actor: Steve Forrest – Mommie Dearest :Worst Supporting Actress: Diana Scarwid – Mommie Dearest Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival): :Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza), directed by Andrzej Wajda, Poland Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): :Marianne and Juliane (Die Bleierne Zeit), directed by Margarethe von Trotta, W. Germany Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): :Faster, Faster (Deprisa, deprisa / Vivre vite), directed by Carlos Saura, Spain / France Notable films released in 1981 Romance films released in 1981 #Modern Romance Births * January 6 – Jérémie Renier, Belgian actor * January 8 – Genevieve Cortese, American actress * January 21 – Izabella Miko, Polish actress and dancer * January 22 – Beverley Mitchell, American actress * January 28 – Elijah Wood, American actor * January 31 – Justin Timberlake, American singer and actor * February 9 – Tom Hiddleston, English actor * February 11 – Kelly Rowland, American singer and actress * February 12 - Lauri Lagle, Estonian actor, director and screenwriter * February 17 – Joseph Gordon-Levitt, American actor * February 19 – Beth Ditto, American singer-songwriter * February 23 – Josh Gad, American actor and comedian * March 2 – Bryce Dallas Howard, American actress * March 6 – Ellen Muth, American actress * March 11 – David Anders, American actor * March 28 – Julia Stiles, American actress * April 10 ** Laura Bell Bundy, American actress ** Michael Pitt, American actor * April 13 – Courtney Peldon, American actress * April 19 ** Hayden Christensen, Canadian actor ** Catalina Sandino Moreno, Colombian actress * April 28 – Jessica Alba, American actress * May 5 ** Danielle Fishel, American actress ** Farid Kamil, Malaysian actor and film director * May 11 – Austin O'Brien, American actor * May 12 – Rami Malek, American actor * May 15 – Jamie-Lynn Sigler, American actress * May 28 – Laura Bailey, American voice actress * June 1 – Amy Schumer, American actress and comedian * June 7 – Larisa Oleynik, American actress * June 9 – Natalie Portman, Israeli-American actress * June 10 – Jonathan Bennett, American actor * June 13 – Chris Evans, American actor * June 14 – Chauncey Leopardi, American actor * June 20 – Alisan Porter, former American actress * July 24 – Summer Glau, American actress * July 30 – Lisa Wilhoit, American actress * August 1 – Taylor Fry, former American child actress * August 3 – Travis Willingham, American voice actor * August 4 ** Marques Houston, American singer and actor ** Meghan Markle, American actress and model ** Abigail Spencer, American actress * August 8 – Meagan Good, American actress * August 20 – Ben Barnes, English actor * August 24 – Chad Michael Murray, American actor * August 25 – Rachel Bilson, American actress * August 27 – Patrick J. Adams, Canadian actor * September 4 – Beyoncé Knowles, American singer and actress * September 8 – Jonathan Taylor Thomas, American actor * September 12 – Jennifer Hudson, American singer and actress * September 16 – Alexis Bledel, American actress * September 23 – Misti Traya, American actress * September 26 – Christina Milian, American singer and actress * September 29 – Shay Astar, American singer and actress * September 30 – Ashleigh Aston Moore, former Canadian child actress (d. 2007) * October 1 – Rupert Friend, English actor * October 3 – Seth Gabel, American actor * October 9 – Zachery Ty Bryan, American actor * October 12 – Tom Guiry, American actor * October 22 – Michael Fishman, American actor * November 9 – Scottie Thompson, American actress * November 16 – Caitlin Glass, American voice actress * November 18 – Nasim Pedrad, Iranian-American actress and comedian * November 20 – Andrea Riseborough, English actress * December 2 – Britney Spears, American singer and actress * December 3 – Liza Lapira, American actress * December 13 – Amy Lee, American singer-songwriter (Evanescence) * December 16 – Krysten Ritter, American actress * December 18 – Josh Dallas, American actor * December 27 – Emilie de Ravin, Australian actress * December 28 – Sienna Miller, English actress Notable deaths Film debuts *Ben Affleck – The Dark End of the Street *Jason Alexander – The Burning *Kim Basinger – Hard Country *Bart the Bear – Windwalker *James Belushi – Thief *Gabriel Byrne – Excalibur *James Cameron – Piranha II: The Spawning *Kevin Costner – Malibu Hot Summer *Tom Cruise – Endless Love *Jeff Daniels – Ragtime *Rebecca De Mornay - One from the Heart *Dennis Farina – Thief *Jami Gertz – Endless Love *Bob Gunton – Rollover *Glenne Headly – Four Friends *Holly Hunter – The Burning *Ciarán Hinds – Excalibur *Peter MacNicol – Dragonslayer *Alfred Molina – Raiders of the Lost Ark *Chris Noth - Waitress! *Demi Moore – Choices *Sean Penn – Taps *Martha Plimpton – Rollover *Amanda Plummer – Cattle Annie and Little Britches *Geoffrey Rush – Hoodwink *Meg Ryan – Rich and Famous *Madeleine Stowe – Gangster Wars *Henry Thomas – Raggedy Man *Kathleen Turner – Body Heat See also * List of American films of 1981 * British films of 1981 * French films of 1981 * List of German films: 1980s * Bollywood films of 1981 * Italian films of 1981 * Japanese films of 1981 * Swedish films of the 1980s References Category:Years in film Category:1981 in film